How far can an airgun be modified before it can no longer preform properly/efficiently?
As a designer by trade (retired) I learned long ago that products are typically designed to a specific set of parameters to achieve a particular performance. It's kinda like the "aim small, miss small" thing.
As an example, some products are very specific (like a 10 mm wrench) that do their designed task very well. Others (like an adjustable wrench) can do a range of tasks adequately. Then you have similar products (like ViseGrips or pipe wrenches) that can accomplish the task (here I'm using a 10 mm bolt as an example) but do the job poorly.
Wrenches have a small window of functionality to work. Other products can have a wider window between to little, too much, and optimum.
So in a PCP, things like the bore volume, plenum capacity, transfer port, and valve/hammer/spring are all carefully designed by engineers to a specific FPE performance.
In my preferred caliber (.22) that would (typically) be 30-33 FPE for standard power PCPs; 45-50 FPE for high power PCPs; 65-75 FPE for bench and slug guns.
Purchasing airguns for their optimum performance is the reason/excuse I have so many.
For discussion, say that a PCP platform is optimized for hunting and was designed for 50 fpe. It would be ideal for heavy .22 caliber, light .25 caliber projectiles in 25-35 grain weights.
This (finally
) brings me to the question:
How far can a PCP be modified before it can no longer preform properly/efficiently?
I'm using everybody's favorite loved/hated caliber swappable, uber adjustable PCP, the FX Impact as an example ( I have a MK2).
We've seen FX tweek the Impact platform (by our insistence) from a typical 30 FPE pellet gun (MK1) to a 50 plus FPE slug gun in the MK4 by making design changes.
So what happens (to the performance) when someone takes a MK1 and doubles the power to shoot .30 caliber slugs or castrates a MK4 to shoot .177 pellets at sub-12 FPE ?
I think that the further you get from the design's intended performance, the less efficient it will be and the more trouble will be found.
IMHO, setting up an Impact MK4 for sub-12 performance is like removing 6 sparkplugs from a 8 cylinder engine. It's going to run rough, don't complain about it.
Agreed, there are people shooting heavily modified .177 caliber MK4s and getting incredible groups at 100 meters. It can be done - but is it a good idea?
As an old guy who is sensitive to mechanical things, I prefer to buy the right tool for the job rather than misusing/abusing one. Springers in .177 and .20 are great low power airguns, in larger calibers PCPs work very well at high power levels. Are we getting confused?
Anyway, does any of this make any sense to you?
What do you see as "normal" in airguns, where does it cross the line to "extreme"?
...Done rambling, have a great weekend eh!
Cheers!
As a designer by trade (retired) I learned long ago that products are typically designed to a specific set of parameters to achieve a particular performance. It's kinda like the "aim small, miss small" thing.
As an example, some products are very specific (like a 10 mm wrench) that do their designed task very well. Others (like an adjustable wrench) can do a range of tasks adequately. Then you have similar products (like ViseGrips or pipe wrenches) that can accomplish the task (here I'm using a 10 mm bolt as an example) but do the job poorly.
Wrenches have a small window of functionality to work. Other products can have a wider window between to little, too much, and optimum.
So in a PCP, things like the bore volume, plenum capacity, transfer port, and valve/hammer/spring are all carefully designed by engineers to a specific FPE performance.
In my preferred caliber (.22) that would (typically) be 30-33 FPE for standard power PCPs; 45-50 FPE for high power PCPs; 65-75 FPE for bench and slug guns.
Purchasing airguns for their optimum performance is the reason/excuse I have so many.
For discussion, say that a PCP platform is optimized for hunting and was designed for 50 fpe. It would be ideal for heavy .22 caliber, light .25 caliber projectiles in 25-35 grain weights.
This (finally
) brings me to the question: How far can a PCP be modified before it can no longer preform properly/efficiently?
I'm using everybody's favorite loved/hated caliber swappable, uber adjustable PCP, the FX Impact as an example ( I have a MK2).
We've seen FX tweek the Impact platform (by our insistence) from a typical 30 FPE pellet gun (MK1) to a 50 plus FPE slug gun in the MK4 by making design changes.
So what happens (to the performance) when someone takes a MK1 and doubles the power to shoot .30 caliber slugs or castrates a MK4 to shoot .177 pellets at sub-12 FPE ?
I think that the further you get from the design's intended performance, the less efficient it will be and the more trouble will be found.
IMHO, setting up an Impact MK4 for sub-12 performance is like removing 6 sparkplugs from a 8 cylinder engine. It's going to run rough, don't complain about it.
Agreed, there are people shooting heavily modified .177 caliber MK4s and getting incredible groups at 100 meters. It can be done - but is it a good idea?
As an old guy who is sensitive to mechanical things, I prefer to buy the right tool for the job rather than misusing/abusing one. Springers in .177 and .20 are great low power airguns, in larger calibers PCPs work very well at high power levels. Are we getting confused?
Anyway, does any of this make any sense to you?
What do you see as "normal" in airguns, where does it cross the line to "extreme"?
...Done rambling, have a great weekend eh!
Cheers!
